Japan will announce Monday that it will turn over to Washington more than 700 pounds of weapons-grade plutonium and a large quantity of highly enriched uranium, a decades-old research stockpile that is large enough to build dozens of nuclear weapons, according to American and Japanese officials.

The announcement is the biggest single success in President Obama’s five-year-long push to secure the world’s most dangerous materials, and will come as world leaders gather here on Monday for a nuclear security summit meeting.

We got busy twisting Tokyo’s arm for a feel-good moment in the headlines — while China increased defense spending about 12% this year. Iran’s nuclear program goes on unabated — while that regime’s sponsor in Moscow feels friskier than ever.

At least we still have enough money left to go to Hell in a very nicely-appointed hand basket. Rich, Corinthian leather and everything.

So we managed to confiscate nuclear material from one of the most geographically secure, stable, honorable countries who is the least likely to launch a nuclear attack on anyone. And who outsources their military defense to us and has no capability to threaten the US.

I wonder if the Japanese will turn over their nuke materials just as quickly as the Assads in Syria are handing over their nerve gas? Since you don't just drop 700 lbs of plutonium off at FedEx, I suspect it may take well over three years to get the stuff boxed up and delivered, wink wink.